Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-08-05
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS
THE PLATFORM.

The democratic SCaCe CUup6DtlOu, WHICH,
met in Roanoke yesterday, adjourned last
night. Hon. John Goode was perma.
nent chairman and, in assuming that posi-
ton. said:
ut would not require prophet to see
what would be the result of the contest in
November, and it will be through indifIer.
ence and apathy if we allow the State to be
wrested from u.s. He said it was the duty
of every man to vote, and on this matter
the chief executive of the country beu set a
good example, He always votes, and al
ways votes the democratic ticket. No in
dependent tickets for him. The democratic
ticket is good enough for him. Touching
the debt question, Mr.. Goode said he re-
membered the time when he thought the
State could pay the debt, but he felt now
that his statesmanshp did not suit the ext
gencies of the occasion. He then reviewed
the passage of the old funding bill and said
the State could not pay more than the Rid
debcrger bill provided for without an i'm
pairment Of the noble institutions of public
charity.
Mr.. Barbour, in calling the convention to
order, as stated in yesterdays GAZETTE, eX-
planned why it was considered necessary to
call convention this year. The reasons
were that if any differences existed in the
party they should be settled in party con-
vention. These differences, he thought, it
would be much better to discover before
than after the election. MIR. Barbour point
ed out tho result of the failure 10 have q
convention of the party last year, when the
opposition carried seven out of ten Congress
sonal districts in the State.
Continuing, Mr. Barbour said: sis tho
democratic party of Virginia afraid of itself,
and is it for that reason unwilling to call its
Congress together to provide for the COM
mon defense ard general welfare? and, if
SO, can we afford to go into the fight with
enemies to contend with from within as we'll
as without? No good general would do this
and expect victory to result. | have no
fears of the opposition of the republican
party, pure and simple, in our Virginia
campaign. We have met them too often
heretofore, on other fields, when supported
by all the power and patronage of the State
and federal governments, to dread them
now The people of Virginia will never
willingly commit their interests TO that
party of sectional maize and political ami.
mostly, whose chief mission in politics
| seems TO be to disparage and villify Vir-
gina and the South. What has that par
ty, in its long lease of power, control
ling, with short intervals, the legislative
and executive departments OF the fed
eral government from the close of the civil
war to the fourth of March, 1885, done for
our people of Virginia. Did it repeal the
internal revenue laws reduce the war taxes
or pass the Blair educational bill? Certain
ly not, and in my judgment the republican
party, as such, never intended to pass any
of these measures relief, but merely threw
them out as tubs 10 the popular whale, AID
as catchwords with which TO deceive and
delude the people. ! know that there are
other organizations, secret or open, more or
less political in their nature, and having as
their objects the protection and advance
ment OF class interests, and meritorious
enough perhaps in themselves, but necessa
rly too limited in their public scope to do
much general good. In point of TACT, bat
two great political parties really exist in
our countryside democratic and the re.
publican, and these new associations, soon
ey or later, must train with one or the other
OF the original organizations. If any Of the
dissatisfied elements referred to have gone
out of our ranks or are disposed to go, ] will
beg them 10 pause and see first if their
grievances cannot be corrected within the
lines of the democratic party. That old or
ganization was founded to protect the rights
and promote the interests OF the masses of
the people, and whatever may have been
its shortcomings in the past, it is still the
only national party, thoroughly identified
with popular rights and able to resist the
encroachmens of unconstitutional power.
''In Virginia, am we'll aware, there has
been some dissatisfaction in the democratic
party with the course of the administration
in regard to appointments and the recogni-
ton of party services in the distribution Of
federal favors. have heretofore expressed
my dissent from the earlier policy pursued
by Mr.. Cleveland. The democrats of Vir-
ginia, by force of circumstances, are strong
iy partisan in sentiment. We had taken
but little heed of the mugwump politicians,
and considered that all who were not with
us were against us. Mr.. Cleveland came
from different part of the country, and his
practical political education was acquired
in q different school. We in Virginia had
seen the republican Presidents turn over the
entire federal patronage to their followers,
and naturally the democrats expected the
same rule 10 prevail in regard to'them. OF
course, a great deal can be said on both
sides pro and con, but, after all, in making |
up the whole account and striking the bal
ance, III VIII DC lOunu tDab STeaG ueal ID |
due Mr.. Cleveland. He has administered |
the affairs of the government with great
ability at home and abroad, and has mani
tested great industry and devotion to the
details of business, and acted in accordance
with the highest standard of private and Of
fetal integrity. For the first time in quar-
ter of q century the Southern States are rep
in the Cabinet, and their represent.
alive men have been again called to fill i'm
portant positions in the various branches of
the public service and while do not pro-
fess to entertain much faith in the perfection
of human nature, think great credit is due
to the democratic President from the EN-
pire State of the North, who has been will.
ing to overlook sectional differences and to
put his trust in the good faith and honor of
Southern men and in their
ability to discharge rightly the duties of high
official positions, involving, as many OF
hese do, the exercise of power over import
INT Northern interests. How different this
rom the course of the Shermsns and
Blaines.
,IT,,rn;nor fro,, fadoroI RI orr Ctata n fairs